Syrian army backed by tanks and helicopters on Saturday took a prominent mosque that had been controlled by residents in the besieged city of Deraa, killing four people, a witness said.

Syrian army backed by tanks and helicopters on Saturday took a prominent mosque that had been controlled by residents in the besieged city of Deraa, killing four people, a witness said.

The operation came a day after President Bashar Assad unleashed deadly force to crack down on a months-old revolt, killing at least 65 people, mostly in the border town.

Deraa resident Abdullah Abazeid said the assault on the mosque lasted 90 minutes, during which troops fired tank shells and heavy machine guns. Three helicopters took part in the operation, dropping paratroopers onto the mosque itself, he said.